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Sunday Breakfast Menu, Sept. 13

This Sunday’s programs will establish another plot point in the story line of the fight over sweeping change in the health care system. After President Obama’s speech Wednesday, many of the major characters, including three White House advisers and key Senate lawmakers, are stepping into the studios to talk about the policy debate.

Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

For the White House team, three of Mr. Obama’s top advisers will make rounds on the talk shows: Robert Gibbs, Mr. Obama’s top spokesman; David Axelrod, the president’s top adviser, and Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of Health and Human Services.

Mr. Gibbs will answer some of John King’s questions on CNN’s “State of the Union.” On that same show, to Senators Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire and Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, are slated to appear.

Eric Cantor of Virginia, the second-highest ranking Republican in the House, will have “the last word” on health care on CNN.

Ms. Snowe, one of the lead negotiators working to come up with bipartisan legislation on the Senate Finance Committee, will be on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” Ms. Snowe has opposed the public option that leading Democrats want to have, but has said she would support an option called a “trigger.” She’ll discuss her views with host Bob Schieffer and her fellow guest on the show, David Axelrod.

Highlighting the differing views within the Democratic party, Senators John Rockefeller of West Virginia and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana will discuss the legislation on health care with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on “This Week.” For the Republicans, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will talk about what makes his state a model for health care reform.

On “Fox News Sunday,” it’ll be a two-for-two deal. For the Democrats, Senators Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Claire McCaskill of Missouri, will appear. Representing the Republicans are Senators Orrin Hatch and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

On C-Span’s “Newsmakers,” Senator Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, a Gang of Six negotiator, answers reporters’ questions on the health care reform proposal the panel is vetting.

Finally, CNN’s “Fareed Zakaria GPS” will break away — thematically — to Afghanistan. Guest host Michael Ware will talk to two Afghan presidential candidates about the problems plaguing the country, and what the United States and its allies can do.

I’m interested to know how many people, out of the thousands protesting President Obama, the government, and the health care biil, are: A) Financially suffering and cannot afford health insurance, B) Have been denied coverage by their present insurance, and C) Have suffered through a major health crisis because of a lack of insurance and/or coverage. From what point of view does a person polarize the enormous suffering for millions who cannot afford health care, and what it costs our country, to socialism? Our government is supposed to be a democracy — by the people and for the people. While I know this “democracy” may be an entirely bigger debate, isn’t it fair to say that Obama is responding to the cries of the people and a very real issue?

Here’s what I see. I see people inflamed by hatred and ignorance. I see this country divided over the need to be right and the need to blame. I see a certain faction of people who are defending their hatred, and their own sense of separation. We are a country and people at war with our self

In my opinion, the issue and opportunity at hand is one of compassion, peace, and yes, freedom; and it starts from within. One who is steeped in hatred, blame, and separation will never be free, no matter the size of the government, and no matter the party majority.

When I retire after thirty years of law enforcement. Also having been a firefighter and an Army veteran. I will lose my health care coverage. If I choose to try to maintain my coverage it will cost me over half of my pension. Meanwhile Senators and Congressmen have government health care for life as well as generous government pensions. They dare to call me a Socialist for supporting President Obama and his health care initiative ?!!

Please, inform the ignorant protesters of the health care reform, that if we do not have a reform, it will cost MORE for them! Do they not read? Since they do not understand, please be clear, talk about ethic, about this great country, the richest in the world, but the only developed country that does not provide health care for its citizens..
They are against government, but are letting young administrators without medical education decide the treatment.
The protesters cannot be against:
A law so insurance companies cannot drop you because of a pre-existing condition, not drop you in the middle of cancer treatment, because you have reached the cap for the year or for life.
Streamline billing. Reduce redundant or unnecessary tests because the doctor is afraid of liability. TORT reform.
Require computerized prescriptions and patient charts.
Create a marketplace by pooling small businesses and individuals to create competition with big companies.
Are the protesters against the VA system, Medicare and Medicaid, which are government run programs? What would our wounded and forever handicapped soldiers from Iraq do without the VA?
Media and politicians are more interested in screaming citizens in barbaric tea parties than report on all the people who write and contact their politicians being positive to the bills.
Lisbeth Nordstrom-Lerner, M.D. Swedish American, who has worked in the excellent, fair, less expensive health care system in Sweden and worked in the unjust, unfair and expensive U.S. health care system.

Since Dick “Freedom Works” Armey led his teabagging army to DC this weekend, it is shocking that Fox News did not schedule him on Sunday since they have promoted his ongoing right-wing anti-Obama agenda.

The Web site of the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department states “For over six decades, the mission of the Antitrust Division has been to promote and protect the competitive process ”//www.usdoj.gov/atr/overview.html

If the President thinks there isn’t enough competion in the insurance companies, please ask him to have the Antiturst Division to investigate.

I don’t get it! It is OK for some state legislators to want to protect the public’s right to select their helth care provider but not OK for the public to decide if an abortion is appropriate or if it is the public’s right for a gay couple to marry. We have a bunch of elected officaial who are more interested in fannig the flames of hate rather than prividing real public service. The USA is well along the road to “Third World Status”.

Lisbeth–there is no room for condescending remarks like “don’t they read”. The real question is “don’t they trust”…and the answer is a resounding NO.

Waiting for the government to be efficient and expedient is like waiting for the mafia to turn themselves in. When the postage stamp goes to .25, than I will be convinced that the government can actually lower prices by ridding waste.

Also, stop comparing Sweden to the US. Sweden has the same population as North Carolina, and they both offer some nice furniture, but that is about it.

I understand that the Senate bill is looking at fining everyone who doesn’t sign up for mandatory insurance $3,800.00 I’ve be curious to learn more about why Senate Democrats think this is a good idea. To me, it looks like an effort to support large public employee unions and to drive the campaign toward single-payer.

was the protest crowd in washington saturday 98% white or 99%? they aren’t protesting spending OR big government. if spending or government is for waging war, putting up a berlin wall on the border, torture or putting people in jail, they have no problem with the size or cost of govt. the only problem is if govt actually helps working people, and dare i say it, minorities. this is an extended tantrum by folks who cannot cope with a black president. at least the folks that deligitimized bush had a case. my god, i don’t even want to think about what these folks would be doing if obama won by the margin and in the fashion that bush did in 2000. can u say apoplectic?

Eric Cantor will do an excellent job of exposing Obama care for what it is. A fool hearty attempt at taking control of 1/6 of the US economy… read Is Obama selling snake oil at….//cooperscopy.blogspot.com/

The headcount analysis is disturbing as reported by the official media. I was there. I witnessed a density in a specific area, the parking lot that is verifiable and certainly exceeds the “tens of thousands” statistic for the area under review. Google maps can quickly show that one small part of a parking lot with 100 outhouses and lines of 60 people comprised 6,000 in that one area. The density of individuals was important.

Police officers say it was more than the inauguration.

The games playing on the statistics is appalling and started from this quote “The National Park Service, which was banned by Congress from releasing crowd estimates after controversy over its count of participants in the Million Man March in 1995, said it would not challenge the 1.8 million figure, according to the Washington Post.”
The media has reduced what was sizable to “thousands” as if it did not occur.

We are already starting to lose our freedoms, such as freedom to receive true information.

The President says he will cut medical care costs by outing waste, fraud, and abuse in our present medical care programs (Medicare and Medicade). He doesn’t need a bill from the congress for that. Why doesn’t he have Eric Holder appoint a special prosecutor today to start the investigation? If we have tax money for a wild goose chase of CIA agents who might have done such awful things as blow smoke in the face of terrorists or fired guns to scare them, we certainly have the money to find $70 to $120 billion of government waste per year.

As has become evident, insults are the left’s only response to the vast unease most of the country feels about Obama and the left’s unprecedented effort to centralize power in this country. Those who disagree with the agenda are stupid, heartless, just don’t understand, etc. Speaking as an independent, I have to say that heaping calumny on those who perceive a different reality than you do is counter-effective. The people who dismiss these protests as tea-baggery (Anderson Cooper, who should know) or organized by the Republicans (as if that gang of incompetents was capable of organizing anything) are badly misreading the mood of the nation.

as one of those ignorant people that protests the public option i say: i want health care reform, tort reform, insurance regulations, and medicaid expanded to people that are uninsurable but not to people that will not work have been on welfare their entire lives and are just not going to take responsibility for themselves. those that call me racist are ignorant and have nothing to dispute the facts with. HR 3200 is very scary bill read it there will be people not getting treatment because they are old or sickly or even very young, the government will be able to access your financial records to establish your costs, there will be a gov official come to your home when you have a baby to “help” you in caring for your child. i have had cancer 2 times, high blood pressure, and very high colesterol, i am 170 lbs and 5’8 so not obese i pay 800 dollars a month for my insurance and a high deductable, my aunt lost her house due to cost of hospital bills, my ex husband is in the burn unit in a birmingham hospital right now with no insurance (i am tonysharon04 on twitter) i can prove all. but i do not want the gov making mine or my families health care decisions. Hr 3200 puts us on a slippery slope and i am not willing to give up any of my liberty for anybody period

TR — Your comments are drifting further and further off the rails. Keep up the good work.

Nancy Pelosi is battling the health insurance industry, not the ‘health industry’ as you describe it. The health insurance industry is paying for ads against reform. The health insurance industry is buying politicians. The health insurance industry has seen their costs rise at a faster rate than Medicare. The health insurance industry promised to improve 15 years ago and failed dismally.

The health insurance industry is the focus of this battle because they are the focus of the legislation, TR. They have the most to gain with a new pool of 25 million customers to collect premiums from. They are certain they have a lot to lose if the government offers a Medicare-like option to actually serve up some competition.

And no one on this site has explained to my satisfaction just what it is that health insurers do to justify their very existence — yet there they are at the center of the storm, collecting premiums, skimming profits like good little middlemen, and denying and rationing care, all under the umbrella of the best fear-mongering, licensed bribery, and outright lying that lobbyists and campaign dollars can buy.

And there you are, TR, complaining when a politician dares to show a modicum of spine and actually threatens to rein the health insurance industry in.

But like I said at the opening, keep posting comments, TR: You epitomize the childish rage and ignorance of the teabaggers and supply a valuable counterpoint to informed debate.

President Obama drew criticism on Thursday when he said, “we don’t have a strategy yet,” for military action against ISIS in Syria. Lawmakers will weigh in on Mr. Obama’s comments on the Sunday shows.Read more…